Private equity firms and REITs may be charging into commercial real estate, but these multigenerational clans still control huge chunks of New York City's iconic skyline.
Photographs by Lamia Maria Abillama

The LeFrak family's developments are so huge that calling them cities hardly feels like hyperbole. "You can start from scratch and create a whole neighborhood," says Jamie LeFrak,
34. The late Samuel LeFrak's first such project, LeFrak City in Queens, opened in 1963 and includes 20 high-rise residences along with retail and office space. Today, led by
Samuel's son Richard, the LeFraks own hundreds of apartment buildings, mostly in Brooklyn, Queens, and Jersey City, N.J. Richard's sons Harrison, 35, and Jamie are overseeing a
LeFrak investment firm and energy holdings and are expanding real estate operations to London and L.A.